Prayers for Gaining Plenary Indulgences in the Time of the Jubilee

IN THE TIME OF THE JUBILEE AND ON OTHER OCCASIONS,

To be applied to one's self, or to the souls in Purgatory.

PREPARATORY PRAYER.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose mercy I trust that I am absolved from all my sins, and from the guilt of eternal damnation, though I still continue liable to the temporal punishments due to my sins; because my own works are insufficient to make satisfaction for them, I fly to the inexhaustible treasure of the merits of thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Saints, that by its abundance my own poverty and want may be supplied. I cheerfully offer myself to do all that is appointed for obtaining this end. Receive it, O Father of mercies! in union with the Passion and Death of the same thy Son, and make me, though unworthy, a partaker in this plenary indulgence. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary.

I. PRAYER.

To God the Father, for the Exaltation of our holy Mother the Church.

Remember, O eternal Father! thy congregation, which thou hast possessed from the beginning. Own thy Church for the spouse of thy only-begotten Son, for which he hesitated not of his own will to pour forth his own Blood. So exalt her, I beseech thee, by the beauty of her holiness, the abundance of her graces, and the enlargement of her inheritance, that she may appear worthy of such a Spouse, and of so great a price as that paid for her redemption. Bountifully regard the sons of this our holy Mother, and add all nations to their number, that all may acknowledge with lively faith, invoke with firm hope, and embrace with perfect charity, thee, God the Father, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent, together with the Holy Ghost. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary.

℣. See, O Lord, and visit this vineyard.

℟. And perfect the same, which thy right hand has planted.

Let us pray.

Look, O Lord, we beseech thee, on this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ hesitated not to be delivered into the hands of wicked men, and to undergo the torment of the Cross. Who lives and reigns with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

II. PRAYER.

To God the Son, for the Extirpation of Heresies.

O Jesus! the true Light who enlightenest every man that comes into this world, by the inestimable virtue of thy Passion and Death, cause, I pray thee, that by the scattering of the darkness of heresies and errors, all may embrace the light of thy truth, and be gathered, as we desire, into the bosom of thy Church. O thou good Shepherd! who hast laid down thy life for thy sheep, protect thy flock, and defend it against the power and wiles of those who come in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Cause them all to receive the one Shepherd, and all to be of the one Fold. Stay with us, O Lord, for thou hast said, Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world. Shew that thy Church is built upon a rock, and that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary.

℣. Deliver not to beasts the souls of them that confess to thee.

℟. And forget not the souls of thy poor for ever.

Let us pray.

O Lord, we beseech thee, favourably receive the prayers of thy Church; that by the destruction of all adversities and errors, it may serve thee in freedom and security. Through our Lord.

III. PRAYER.

To the Holy Ghost, for the Concord of Christian Princes.

O Holy Ghost, the Spirit of love and peace, who hast gathered together so many and different nations in the unity of the faith, bestow upon Christian princes and their counsellors the abundance of thy grace, and imbue their hearts with the new commandment of thy love, that by this all may know them to be reckoned in the number of thy Elect, and to be worthy of the name of Christ. Cause them never to be led away by any evil desire to plan any thing that may be opposed to thy divine glory and the peace of thy Church; but rather strive, by uniting their strength, to conduct the people that is subject to them, together with themselves, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and the vision of eternal peace. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary.

℣. Let peace be in thy strength.

℟. And abundance in thy towers.

Let us pray.

O God, from whom come all holy desires, right counsels, and just works, give to thy servants that peace which the world cannot give: that both our hearts may be devoted to thy commandments, and that we, being delivered from the fear of our enemies, may, by thy protection, have peaceable times. Through our Lord.

IV. PRAYER.

To the most holy Trinity, in which is made an oblation of the works prescribed and performed for gaining an Indulgence.

I seem now, O most holy Trinity! to have performed what is prescribed for obtaining the plenary forgiveness of the punishments due to me. This, and much more besides, we are bound by numberless obligations to have rendered to thy divine Majesty. To thy infinite goodness and most lavish bounty to us, though most unworthy, is to be ascribed that thou hast so plentifully rewarded the most worthless works of the service that we owe thee. Accept, therefore, O most holy Trinity! the works that I have rendered thee, howsoever I have done them, and cause their failings to be supplied by the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his most precious Blood, that has been shed for us, and so make me (or the soul of N.) partaker of this plenary indulgence; and for this mercy may all heaven and earth unite with me in giving thee praises and thanksgivings, now and for ever. Amen. Our Father. Hail Mary.

Another very useful and convenient method of gaining Indulgences is, to repeat five times within the customary limits of the Church, the Lord's Prayer and Angelical Salutation, to which prayers may be suitably added the Litany of Loretto.